Review – For the Duke’s Eyes Only by Lenora Bell

About the Book:

If adventure has a name…it must be Lady India Rochester. The intrepid archaeologist possesses a sharp blade and an even sharper knack for uncovering history’s forgotten women. Unfortunately, she has one annoying weakness: the dangerously handsome Duke of Ravenwood. Former best friend. Current enemy. And the man who dared to break her heart.

Daniel Bonds, the Duke of Ravenwood, is a thrill-seeking antiquities hunter who only plays by one rule: Never fall in love. He’s in it for the fortune and glory. At least that’s what he wants the world to think. He’s sworn to hide his tangled web of secrets, especially from the one woman he cares about and will protect at any cost.

But when a priceless relic is stolen from the British Museum, the rivals must align forces. Racing to recover the stolen antiquity and avert an international disaster? All in a day’s work. Avoiding their buried feelings? More and more impossible. For love is about to become the greatest treasure of all.

My Review:

I received a complimentary copy of this book.

I could tell right from the beginning that I was going to love FOR THE DUKE’S EYES ONLY, and that it was going to break my heart. India and Daniel are both children of dukes, lived on neighboring estates, and were betrothed to each other almost from birth. Even as children, they were the best of friends and loved each other. They spent their days together, hunting for treasure, and envisioning how their future would be when they were married and travelling the world, becoming archaeologists. Their idyllic days come to an end when Daniel’s father dies, and is under a cloud of suspicion of being a traitor. While still just a boy, Daniel becomes the Duke of Ravenwood, and moves away to the home of a family friend, who raises him. Eventually, Daniel’s letters to India become less frequent, then they stop completely. India still holds out hope, and when it’s finally time to make her debut, she can’t wait to share a dance with her friend and betrothed. Daniel, however, stages a scene that is guaranteed to kill India’s feelings for him and to drive her away permanently. He is successful, and the once beautiful friendship and camaraderie is a thing of the past.

The years pass, and India, now twenty-six, has become a successful archaeologist. She has seen Daniel, now known as Raven, become a rake, a heavy drinker, and a treasure hunter with dubious methods. Their paths have crossed on occasion, and their current interactions are biting and sarcastic. What India doesn’t know is that Daniel was recruited to become an agent for the crown very soon after his father’s death. His mentor strongly suggested that Daniel have no ties, so that no one could retaliate against him by harming his loved ones. Daniel took that advice to heart, actually splitting from his family and deliberately ruining his relationship with India, whom he never stopped loving. His rakishness is greatly exaggerated, as is his drunkenness, which he uses as a cover for his investigations.

India manages to sneak into a “male only” meeting where she is able to view a precious artifact, and realizes it’s counterfeit. Daniel is nearby, as is his mentor, who is very impressed with her sharp eye. Daniel’s next assignment is to travel to France to retrieve the original stolen item, and surprisingly, India is going along, though not by Daniel’s choice. As you can imagine, Daniel is doing his best to stay in character, but the time spent constantly in India’s company causes some cracks in his facade. India catches glimpses of her childhood friend and the man she always imagined Daniel would become, and begins to wonder about what caused the drastic changes in him. India, herself, finds her sharp edges and wariness softening a bit, and soon their explosive chemistry bursts forth.

Daniel and India coming together after all these years is just so right and so perfect. I hated the choices Daniel made, though he made them believing he was doing the right thing, and working for the greater good. He also never gave up on trying to prove his father innocent of treason. Though he had to hide it, his love and admiration for India never faltered. India became a bit hardened to protect her own heart, but I still love her fierceness, her intelligence, and her dedication. FOR THE DUKE’S EYES ONLY is an absolutely brilliant, well written story that works on all levels from the poignancy of the opening chapter, to the adventure, to the rekindled romance, to the fiery passion. If a couple ever belonged together, it’s Daniel and India. The sad years of separation made the reconciliation so much sweeter, and this story truly touched my heart. I highly recommend FOR THE DUKE’S EYES ONLY, and it becomes part of my keeper collection and goes on my favorites list. ~Rose

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Published by Rose Blue

Rose is an avid reader and reviewer, especially of historical romance. Her blog, Rosesareblue.net also features occasional guest or shared reviews. Please see contact information (on blog) to send a request by email.
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5 comments

Lovely review, Rose. I have not yet read any of Leonora Bell’s books but I am adding this one to my priority reading list. I love second chance love stories, especially ones that rug at the heart strings.